Automatic release for brake-cylinders.



No. 693,452. Pat'ented'FebQ l8, I902.

. a. B. S'EWELL.

AUTCHVHXTIC-RELEASE F0R BRAKE CYLINDERS.

(Applicutiox; filed Apr. 13, 1901.)

(No Model.)

, 9 WITNESSES.

TH: NORRIS Pains C0. PHOTQ-LITHD, WASHINGTON. n. o.

UNITED STATES,

PA ENT OFFICE-.'.

GEORGE B. SEWELL, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

AUTOMATIC RE'LEASEIF'OR BRAKE-CYLINDERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 693,452, datedFebruary'IS, 1902. 1

Application filed A n 13.1901.

To a whom it may concern- Be it known that I, GEORGE l3. SEWELL, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county ofWayne and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Automatic Releases for Brake- Oylinders; and I do declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

This invention relates to an automatic release-valve for brake-cylindersespecially designed for use in connection with air-brake systems and itconsists in the construction and arrangement of partshereinafter fullyset forth, and pointed out particnlarlyin the claims. 7 1

The object of the invention is to provide a release-valve inconnectionwith the brake cylinder adapted to be automatically operated upon thedischarge of the air from the train-pipe or a diminution of pressuretherein to permit an escapeof air from the brakecylinder and effect arelease of the brakes.

The above object is attained by the mechanism illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in whichi Figure 1 is a view in elevation of anauxil iary reservoir and a brake-cylinder having my improvedrelease-valve connected therewith and also connected with the train-pipethrough which the auxiliary reservoir is charged. Fig. 2 is an enlargedlongitudinal section through the plug containing the release-valve anda'nnion-coupling connecting said plug with a pipe which leads to thetrainpipe. Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1, parts appearing in sectionto show construction and arrangement thereof. Fig. 4 is a plan view ofthe valve proper, showing concavities in its outer face.

Inthe ordinary use of the air-brake system compressed air from the mainreservoir (not shown) is conveyed to the auxiliary reservoirs of theseveral carsof the train through the train-pipe from the auxiliaryreservoirs to the several brake-cylinders by way of the Serial No.55,619. (No model.)

here explained, but whose function is such that a diminution of'pressurein the train-pipe will actuate-said triple valve to allow the aircontained in the auxiliary reservoir to 'pass into the brake-cylinderand actuate the piston thereof to operate the brakes. in a manyards, andthe-act of disconnecting the en-.

gine results in a setting of the brakes through triple valve, whoseoperations need not be the escapeof the air from the train-pipe or adiminution of pressure therein. When the brakes are so set, it isimpossible to do any switching with the train until all the brakes havebeen released, which operation on long freight-trains requires sometime, as it is necessary to operate each of the release-valves connectedwith the brake-cylinders by hand and hold them in release position untilall the air has escaped. This manual operation of the release-valves isovercome by the use of my invention, for in its application the air isautomatically released from the brakecylinders upon the escapeof the airfrom the train-pipe.

Referring to the characters of reference, 1 designates the auxiliaryreservoir, to which is connected the brake-cylinder 2, having thereinthe piston 3, adapted to be connected with the brake mechanism (notshown) in' a .outer end of the plug 9 is a valve-chamber 12,

in which is located an annular valve 13, having a compressible face 14and adapted to seat upon the margin of the opening 11, as at 15. Thevalve 13 nearly fills the diameter of the valve-chamber, allowing onlysufficieut space between its sides and the wall of said chamber for thepassage of the air.

The outer end of the plug 9 is threaded at 16 and is connected to a pipe17 by means of a union-coupling 18. The washer or gasket 19, employed tomake a tight joint between the end of the pipe 17 and the end of theplug 9, stands adjacent to the outer end or face of the valve 13. Forthis reason the outer face of the valve is provided with concavities 20,extending radially through its perimeter to prevent the valve from beingforced outward against the gasket 19 and seating thereon, so as toprevent the escape of air into the pipe 17. The opposite end of pipe 17is connectedinto the train-pipe etat or adjacent to the connection ofsaid pipe with the triple valve, as shown at 21 in Figs. 1 and 3, sothat the pressure carried in pipe 17 corresponds at all times with thatcarried in the train-pipe, whereby the valve 13 under ordinaryconditions is held on its seat and an escape of air from thebrake-cylinder is prevented. When, however, the engine is disconnectedfrom the train and the air allowed to escape from the train-pipe, theexcess of pressure in the brake-cylinder will unseat valve 13 and allowthe air in the cylinder to escape through the minute aperture 10 in theplug 9, whereby the brake becomes automatically released. The opening 10through the plug 9 is so small that in the ordinary operation of thebrakes the setting and releasing of the brakes is not interfered with;but when the engine is detached from the train and the air exhaustedfrom the trainpipe the brakes which have been automatically set willbecome automatically releasedin a short space of time, so as to allow ofthe switching of the train without the necessity of manually releasingeach of the brake-cylinders.

Having thus fully set forth myinvention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic release-valve,for brakecylinders, the combinationwith the brakecylinder, of the train-pipe communicating with saidcylinder having an air-valve therein which controls the passage of airto said cylinder, means connected with the train-pipe and thebrake-cylinder independently of said controlling-valve operatedautomatically by a diminution of pressure in the train-pipe to releasethe air from the brake-cylinder.

2. In an automatic release-valve for brakecylinders, the combination ofa brake-cylinder, an auxiliary reservoir connected thereto, a train-pipeto supply air under pressure to said auxiliary reservoir, an air-valvecontrolling the passage of air from the train-pipe to said reservoir,means connected with the train-pipe and with said cylinder independentlyof said air-controlling valve, said means being automatically actuatedby a discharge of air from the train-pipe to allow of a gradual escapeof air from the brake-cylinder an d etfect a release of the brakes.

3. In an automatic release for brake-cylinders, the combination of abrake-cylinder, a train-pipe-for supplying air to said cylinder, a valvecontrolling the passage of air to the cylinder from the train-pipe, anauxiliary pipe connecting the brake-cylinder and trainpipe, a valvelocated at the cylinder end of said auxiliary pipe, the chamber of saidvalve communicating at one end with said auxiliary pipe through anopening of relatively large area and at the other end communicating withthe cylinder through an opening of greatly restrictive area.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

GEORGE B. SEWELL.

WVitnesses:

BAYARD T. BROWN, G. S. WHEELER.

